Paper presented at national conference by Dr. Shawn Schulenberg (PSC)

• 
  Dr. Jacqueline Agesa (ECN): Richard D Jackson Distinguished Professor of Business, College of Business (2008-2011).
  
• 
  Dr. George Davis (PSC): Pickens-Queen Teaching Award, Marshall University, 2008.
  
• 
  Dr. Robin McCutcheon (ECN): Outstanding Non-Tenured Professor of the Year, College of Business, 2011.
  
• 
  Dr. Jason Morrissette (PSC): Pickens-Queen Teaching Award, Marshall University, 2009.
  
• 
  Dr. Michael Newsome (ECN): Outstanding Teaching Award, College of Business Executive MBA Program, 2008.
  
• 
  Dr. Shawn Schulenberg (PSC): Distinguished Artists and Scholars Awards, Marshall University, 2012.
  
• 
  Dr. Harlan Smith (ECN): Editorial Board, Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa, 1998-present).
  
• 
  Dr. Harlan Smith (ECN): Kermit E. McGinnis Distinguished Professor of Business, College of Business, Marshall University, 2007-Present.
  

• 
  Dr. Marybeth Beller (PSC): Director, International Affairs, 2007-2008.
  
• 
  Dr. Marybeth Beller (PSC): Chair, COLA Research Conference, 2007-2011.
  
• 
  Dr. Jason Morrissette (PSC): Director, International Affairs, 2008-Present.
  
• 
  Dr. Jason Morrissette (PSC): Chair, COLA Research Conference, 2011-Present.
  
• 
  Dr. Michael Newsome (ECN): Member of Internationalization Committee, Marshall University, 2008-Present.
  
• 
  Dr. Harlan Smith (ECN): Member of Commission on Multiculturalism, Marshall University, 1994-2008.
  

3. 
   Students:
   

1. 
   Entrance Standards: Describe the admission standards and procedures employed for making the admission decision. (GPA, ACT, other tests).
   

International Affairs has no requirements for entrance into the program. If a student has been admitted to the University, he or she may choose to pursue the International Affairs major with no additional restrictions.

2. 
   Entrance and Exit Abilities of past five years of graduates: Use Appendices III and IV to list the entrance abilities (ACT, SAT, high school GPA, undergraduate GPA for graduate programs, etc). Then, list the same students’ exit abilities (College GPA, licensure exam results, etc.). Please note that the Office of Assessment, in conjunction with the Office of Institutional Research, will supply the following entrance and exit abilities – ACT, SAT, all GPA information. You will be responsible for supplying additional information, such as licensure exam results, if they are available.
   

Summary of the entrance ability data presented in Appendices III and IV for the 43 International Affairs majors from 2007 to 2012:

• 
  Mean High School GPA: 3.68
  
• 
  Mean ACT: 24.43
  
• 
  Mean SAT Verbal: 564.04
  
• 
  Mean SAT Quantitative: 537.50
  

4. 
   Resources:
   

1. 
   Financial: Provide information related to financial support of the program, including what portion of the unit’s resources was devoted to this program. Include state-appropriated funds, grants, contracts, supplemental state funds or student fees. If this program were terminated as a major, what resource changes would occur, e.g., reduced faculty, staff, space, courses taught, etc. If this program were reduced or terminated, what changes would occur and how would it affect the university?
   

The International Affairs program currently has no operating budget, no staff, no dedicated faculty, and it receives no financial support directly from the University. All faculty members who teach in the program are compensated through their respective departments, and the Department of Political Science budget provides funds for minor administrative costs (e.g. photocopying materials for recruiting events).

2. 
   Facilities: Describe facilities available for the program including classrooms, laboratories, computer facilities, library facilities, or equipment needed for program delivery.
   

The International Affairs major requires no additional equipment/facilities aside from those already dedicated to its constituent departments.

5. 
   Assessment Information: NOTE: This section is a summary of your yearly assessment reports.
   

1. 
   Provide summary information on the following elements. Please include this information in Appendix V.
   

• 
  Your Program’s Student Learning Outcomes
  
• 
  The assessment measures used to assess student performance on these outcomes
  
• 
  The standards/benchmarks your program has set for satisfactory performance on the outcomes
  
• 
  The results/analysis, i.e. actual student performance on each outcome
  
• 
  Actions your program has taken to improve student learning based on the aforementioned results/analysis.
  

Assessment information is summarized below. For additional detail, please see Appendix V.

• 
  Student Learning Objective 1: Define/critique the process of globalization and identify emerging challenges of a global nature.
  
  • 
    Assessment measures: Essay administered in PSC 209 (Fundamentals of International Relations) addressing globalization and emerging global trends and challenges
    
  • 
    Benchmarks:
    
    • 
      1/4: Student fails to demonstrate an understanding of globalization
      
    • 
      2/4: Student shows some understanding of globalization, but fails to offer substantive critiques or identify challenges
      
    • 
      3/4: Student demonstrates an understanding of globalization, critique is underdeveloped or superficial
      
    • 
      4/4: Student demonstrates an understanding of globalization and effectively assesses both its positive and negative impacts
      
  • 
    Results/analysis
    
    • 
      Mean score (2009): 3.44 out of 4.
      
    • 
      Mean score (2011): 3.0 out of 4.
      
    • 
      The relatively high mean score again suggests that most students demonstrated what I would consider a satisfactory understanding of the challenges posed by globalization. Nearly half of the students (22 out of 45) received a score of 4 on the paper. These students not only successfully identified the impact of globalization, but also delved into the broader implications of these trends—specifically, the difficulties of addressing global issues in an international system based around the principle of state sovereignty.
      
  • 
    Actions taken: In terms of planned action, I am satisfied overall with the results—especially in a class that includes a large number of freshmen. That said, in future semesters, I plan to also assess this learning objective at the 400-level (most likely in PSC 405 or PSC 406) in order to gauge reinforcement and mastery.
    
• 
  Student Learning Objective 2: Compare and contrast political, economic, and cultural institutions across states, nations, peoples, ethnic groups, and other social groupings.
  
  • 
    Assessment Measures: Paper assigned in PSC 410 (Post-Soviet Politics) requiring students to compare political, economic, or cultural institutions in two or more post-Soviet states
    
  • 
    Benchmarks:
    
    • 
      1/4: Student fails to demonstrate the ability to apply the comparative method
      
    • 
      2/4: Student shows some understanding of the comparative method, but points of comparison are superficial or contain factual errors
      
    • 
      3/4: Student demonstrates a solid understanding of the comparative method, identifying substantive similarities and differences between cases
      
    • 
      4/4: Student demonstrates an excellent understanding of the comparative method and offers compelling explanations for differences or similarities observed
      
  • 
    Results/analysis:
    
    • 
      Mean score: 3.39 out of 4
      
    • 
      The relatively high mean indicates that most students demonstrated a firm grasp of the comparative method, successfully identifying both similarities and differences between post-Soviet states. That being said, some students had difficulty framing a meaningful comparison; their topics were simply too broad, too vague, or too obvious. Furthermore, many failed to advance a persuasive explanation for the differences or similarities they observed.
      
  • 
    Actions taken: The program has taken steps to devote more time to introducing the fundamentals of comparative politics and the comparative method in PSC 207 (Comparative Politics), as well as emphasizing the importance of meaningful comparison. The program has also increased its efforts to reinforce these concepts more consistently in exams and written work in our upper-level comparative courses.
    
• 
  Student Learning Objective 3: Apply knowledge of political, economic, and cultural institutions across state borders to identify and predict emerging international trends.
  
  • 
    Assessment measures:
    
    • 
      Essay question administered in PSC 405 (International Organization) concerning the development of international institutions and how they impact global politics (2009).
      
    • 
      Essay assigned in PSC 406 (International Politics) in which students choose an aspect of modern American popular culture and discuss how it reflects America’s place in the world (2010).
      
  • 
    Benchmarks:
    
    • 
      1/4: Student fails to demonstrate a significant knowledge of international institutions
      
    • 
      2/4: Student demonstrates awareness and/or understanding of international institutions, but fails to comprehend their significance to international politics
      
    • 
      3/4: Student demonstrates a thorough understanding of international institutions, and offers solid analysis of their impact on international politics
      
    • 
      4/4: Student demonstrates an excellent understanding of international institutions, their origins, their significance, and their shortcomings
      
  • 
    Results/analysis
    
    • 
      PSC 405 essay
      
      • 
        Mean score: 3.42 out of 4
        
      • 
        The high mean score again suggests that most students demonstrated a satisfactory understanding of international institutions and how they shape global politics. Out of 33 total student responses, nearly half (14 students) received a score of 4 points on the essay. These students not only identified the impact of international institutions on international politics, but also delved into their origins and shortcomings.
        
    • 
      PSC 406 essay
      
      • 
        Mean score: 3.64 out of 4
        
      • 
        The high mean score again suggests that most students demonstrated a satisfactory understanding of cultural institutions and how they shape global politics. Out of 26 total responses, nearly half (12 students) received a score of 4 points on the essay. These students not only identified the impact of American culture on international politics, but also delved into the broader implications of these trends.
        
  • 
    Actions taken:
    
    • 
      PSC 405 essay: Since 2009, content has been added to each lesson plan discussing examples of both “successful” and “unsuccessful” efforts undertaken by a particular international organization, offering students an opportunity to evaluate these case studies.
      
    • 
      PSC 406: Overall, I am satisfied with the current results. That said, I would also like to extend the assessment measure to consider students’ knowledge of political and economic institutions alongside cultural forces in the future.
      
• 
  Student Learning Objective 4: Demonstrate proper social scientific research skills, generating research questions and testing hypotheses.
  
  • 
    Assessment measure: Completion of an original research paper in PSC 406 (International Politics), drawing upon proper social scientific research skills
    
  • 
    Benchmarks
    
    • 
      1/4: Student’s research is unoriginal, offers little or no insight, and contains factual errors
      
    • 
      2/4: Student’s research offers some insight into the phenomena under consideration, but fails to properly demonstrate social scientific methodology in its execution
      
    • 
      3/4: Student’s research offers valuable insights into the phenomena under consideration and demonstrates a basic understanding of social scientific methods
      
    • 
      4/4: Student’s research is original, creative, and offers valuable insight into the phenomena under consideration—all while expertly applying social scientific research methods
      
  • 
    Results/analysis:
    
    • 
      Mean score: 3.20 out of 4
      
    • 
      The relatively high mean score indicates that most students successfully framed and tested their hypotheses and demonstrated a satisfactory understanding of social scientific methods. Out of 29 total responses, 13 students received a score of 4 points on the paper. These students not only framed interesting research questions, but also demonstrated exceptional skills in testing their hypotheses. That said, the learning objective was assessed in a 400-level course—at which point I would argue that more students should demonstrate mastery of these important skills.
      
  • 
    Actions taken: Increased effort to devote more class time to reinforcing proper social scientific research skills alongside “substantive” content throughout IA courses at all levels.
    
• 
  Student Learning Objective 5: Analyze the ways in which historical, economic, political, social, and spatial relationships develop, persist, and change.
  
  • 
    Assessment measures: Paper assigned in PSC 423 (American Foreign Policy) concerning the evolution of American Foreign Policy with regards to various regions of the world
    
  • 
    Benchmarks:
    
    • 
      1/4: Student demonstrates little or no knowledge of the evolution of US Foreign Policy
      
    • 
      2/4: Student demonstrates some understanding of US Foreign Policy, but fails to place it in a relevant historical context.
      
    • 
      3/4: Student demonstrates a solid knowledge of the evolution of US Foreign Policy, identifying key historical junctures in its development.
      
    • 
      4/4: Student demonstrates an excellent understanding of the evolution of US Foreign Policy, key historical junctures, and effectively critiques these developments.
      
  • 
    Results/analysis
    
    • 
      Mean score: 3.07 out of 4
      
    • 
      While the mean score suggests that most students had a firm grasp of the evolution of US foreign policy, the results also indicate that there is room for improvement in terms of critical thinking with regards to these developments.
      
  • 
    Actions taken: In future semesters, PSC 423 will place greater emphasis in both readings and assignments on the analysis of US foreign policy—assessing the pros and cons of key decisions and considering their long-term repercussions.
    

2. 
   Other Learning and Service Activities: Provide a summary of learning and service activities not covered explicitly in Section a.
   

N/A

3. 
   Plans for Program Improvement: Based on assessment data, provide a detailed plan for program improvement. The plan must include a timeline.
   

While the assessment data suggests that the program is performing well in terms of meeting its student learning objectives, the most significant area for program improvement is to expand its assessment efforts to include a wider range of classes at the introductory and advanced levels. Currently, International Affairs is only gathering assessment data from its Political Science curriculum. In the semesters ahead, it is vital for the IA Program to incorporate assessment data from its other constituent departments as well.

• 
  Academic Year 2013/2014: Extend International Affairs assessment to Department of History courses
  
• 
  Academic Year 2014/2015: Extend International Affairs assessment to Department of Economics.
  
• 
  Academic Year: 2015/2016: Collaborate with remaining departments linked to the International Affairs curriculum (Modern Languages, Geography, and Anthropology) to determine whether appropriate opportunities exist to assess IA learning objectives in their courses.
  

Furthermore, the International Affairs program continues to work on the HLC Open Pathways Project to refine and improve learning objectives, rubrics, and assessment measures.

4. 
   Graduate Satisfaction: Provide evidence and results of follow-up studies to indicate graduate satisfaction with the effectiveness of the educational experience they received in your program. Indicate the number of individuals surveyed or contacted and the number of respondents.
   

The International Affairs program does not currently conduct formal follow-up studies of graduate satisfaction, although efforts to maintain better contact with former students are currently in development.

5. 
   Attach the previous five years of evaluations of your assessment reports provided by the Office of Assessment.
   

Letters from the Assessment Office are included as Appendix IX.

6. 
   Previous Reviews: State the last program review action by the Marshall University Board of Governors.
   

At its meeting of April 23, 2008, the Marshall University Board of Governors recommended that the BA in International Affairs continue at its current level of activity.

7. 
   Identify weaknesses and deficiencies noted in the last program review and provide information regarding the status of improvements implemented or accomplished.
   

In its review, submitted in academic year 2007/2008, the BA in International Affairs said that its weaknesses were organizational and were due to the many changes in administration experienced during that review period or to the lack of faculty to teach many of the courses in the program. They specifically noted as weaknesses the lack of a pre-test/posttest assessment tool to measure whether students were meeting the outcomes for the degree. The report stated that “the director has met with the chairs of the departments which participate in this program to discuss proposed changes in the program. After receiving feedback from each department the director will meet with the group of chairs as a whole to develop the assessment tool and to discuss whether assessment tools in other categories can be strengthened.” A second weakness noted was that the program’s majors have noted that it lacks focus. To try to remedy this, the program planned to begin offering an introductory course. A third weakness noted was that many of the elective courses in the program were not taught on a regular basis because of lack of faculty resources.

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